Red locktite on freeze plugs?

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krazykuda said:
If you think that your engine/block may freeze during storage, remove/loosen the radiator cap so the water has somewhere to expand and not put pressure on the block and crack it...
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Mmmmmm.....Not at all a guaranteed way to save freezing in a block/head.
 
nm9stheham said:
Mmmmmm.....Not at all a guaranteed way to save freezing in a block/head.
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Lesser of two evils... If you can't drain some of it, at least take the cap off so it can expand out the radiator top... I've seen frozen fountain coming out of the radiator top and the block survived from cracking...
 
krazykuda said:
Sand removal.... If the block freezes, the water won't push the freeze plugs out...

If you think that your engine/block may freeze during storage, remove/loosen the radiator cap so the water has somewhere to expand and not put pressure on the block and crack it...
Click to expand...
I don't think that will help. Drain the block or put anti-freeze in the cooling system.
 
I wouldn't use a locking or retaining product on a core plug. I've never lost one just using a very thin skin of ultra grey or ultra black or ultra red on it. I clean to bores before hand, and make sure it's in far enough. Never had one come out.
 
Up north here in Canada they are known as Frost plugs, and you pop one of these out when installing a block heater. Core plugs sure call them that, I get the concept.
But, run anti freeze always no matter where you are. I have seen engines with to much antifreeze freeze up, it doesn't actually freeze but it gels up and you over heat, or pop a frost plug if lucky....crack a block or head if not. I have used Loctite, not as a sealer but to firmly hold in the plug (Loctite does this expertly). I have used ultra black as well but around the out side...also installed them dry (as long as the cast around the hole is in good shape) Never an issue either way.
 
69_340_GTS said:
I don't think that will help. Drain the block or put anti-freeze in the cooling system.
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Yep. Drain the block completely by removing the block drains. I had a friend crack a block because he thought pulling the lower hose off would be sufficient.
 
forphorty said:
Yep. Drain the block completely by removing the block drains. I had a friend crack a block because he thought pulling the lower hose off would be sufficient.
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Truth be told you could probably use brass plugs dry and have no leaks for the life of the motor. I did however, right, wrong, or indifferent use red loctite and I haven't had any problems. I would inspect each core plug hole for rust and pitting. I cleaned mine up with emery cloth. Then installed the brass plugs with the red loctite. Good times...God bless America!!!!
 
Play it safe, post 11... If tihs happens, it gets below 32 Fahrenheit, be safe.... A cracked block replacement, selection, and accompanying machine work...= BIG BUCKS... J.M.H.O....
 
I have always used plain old silicone on freeze plug, unit my last motor. Could not get it to seal up. Even used one of them rubber plugs, but would not seal up. was Dumb Enough, to put stop leak in it, to get to a race. still leaked when eng cooled down. Even started a thread on here and everyone keep saying permatex 1 or 2 and that was with a vary pitted rusty hole. Been a year now and no problems.

I learn my lesson. cost me pulling my motor, an hour or two of flushing out the block and replacing all the freeze plug,(to get all the stop leak out) Been sealed tight as a drum ever sence!
here is the thread if you want to read it. The vary first post shows the pitted hole.
Pitted freeze plug bore. How have you got them to seal?

yes, i said Freeze plug, and everyone on this form new exactly, what i meant, and got the right picture in there mind's eye! have no intent to change this in my vocabulary.
 
Universally they are known as freeze plugs.

They are brass being a softer material they usually conform to the. Lock.

I've never had a problem with them sealing so far and have never used anything on them.
 
Cudafever said:
yes, i said Freeze plug, and everyone on this form new exactly, what i meant, and got the right picture in there mind's eye! have no intent to change this in my vocabulary.
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Agree. Everyone knows what is meant by "freeze plug."

I also don't say propeller shaft, etc.............

And I also won't stop calling my "side cutters" dykes.

Made me think of a machine shop teacher who said the other day that in school they can't use the word "nuts" anymore. They are now "threaded fasteners"....... What a joke...
 
yup, anyone who deals with caterpillar eng's knows that it is tc NOT tdc because DEAD OFFENDED SOMEONE SOMEWHERE'S. You call it what you want, and the flywheel only says tc but it's still Top "DEAD" Center to me!:poke::D
 
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